Chicago Bears WR Keenan Allen had no problem saying 'adios' to Chargers

Chicago Bears WR Keenan Allen had no problem saying ‘adios’ to Chargers

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen didn’t expect to be traded by the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason. In fact, he told ESPN in his first comments about the trade that he was blindsided by the move.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles stole Allen for just a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. It was a move that resulted from Poles’ smart salary-cap management and the Chargers’ failure to do the same.

“I obviously wanted to finish my career there,” Allen said, “but things happen, and you’ve got to keep on moving.

The Bears hope Allen keeps moving like he did in 2023, when he set career highs in receptions (108) and yards (1,243) in just 13 games.

Keenan Allen now pairs with DJ Moore to give Chicago the best 1-2 punch at wide receiver in the NFC North. They’re arguably the best tandem in the entire conference.

MORE: Ryan Poles explains why Keenan Allen is a perfect fit for Chicago Bears

Allen is a player who knows his worth in a career that can be taken away in an instant. He’s set to make $23 million this season, the final year of his contract, and the Chicago Bears have expressed a desire to lock him up for at least a few more years.

The writing for Keenan Allen’s departure was on the wall soon after the 2023 season ended. He knew it, too. “I don’t want to go nowhere else,” Allen said in January. “If it did come down to that, adios amigos.”

It did, in fact, come down to that. Now, Allen has an incredible opportunity to catch passes from a generational quarterback prospect in a city that’s been craving an offense that resembles the NFL’s modern era.

“It’s the business part of it. And everybody does what is in their best interest,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “And Keenan, I mean, [you] make $23 million a year and play in Chicago, you know, who’s got it better?”